Local Columnists

17+ hour, 53+ min ago   (485+ words) My articles are about positivity and the good things happening in our community. No part of me wants to weigh in on the data center conversation or add a voice to the discourse. On Nov. 3, the people of Clinton have…...

22+ hour, 7+ min ago   (819+ words) The Cedar Rapids school board is considering adopting several goals this school year that describe how it — as a governing body — will oversee the execution of a plan to close schools and restructure grade levels for the 2027-28 school year. Over…...

4+ day, 14+ hour ago   (173+ words) This Iowa Newspaper Association monthly feature, “Political Voices,” offers perspectives from both major political parties published together. This month’s topic prompt was: 'Local Control vs. State Consistency - How should Iowa balance local control with the need for…...

5+ day, 13+ hour ago   (219+ words) American democracy succeeds by trial and error. Our history is littered with flaws and mistakes, corrected and amended, re-broken, and fixed again, often thanks to citizen input. That is why local government – bottom up, grassroots democracy – provides the…...

1+ week, 2+ day ago   (169+ words) Democrat Charley Hunter vies against Republicans Jim Irwin and Steve Cundiff in the November General Election to fill one of two seats on the County Board of Supervisors up for election. “We want this county to start thriving again…...

1+ week, 5+ day ago   (174+ words) Now that today marks my two-week tenure as the Clinton Herald sports editor, I figured it was time to do a column on those 14 days. Though this entry will do very little with results or anything like that, here are…...

1+ week, 6+ day ago   (283+ words) I have been watching the discussion surrounding the proposed QTS data center closely because I am deeply invested in Clinton and its future. City leaders must consider opportunities that may strengthen the tax base, create jobs, and support community improvements....

1+ week, 6+ day ago   (197+ words) Across America, rural communities are recognized for their close-knit ties, readiness to help one another, resilience, and shared values. Still, many of these communities face a serious public health challenge that too often stays behind closed doors: suicide. Suicide affects…...

3+ week, 3+ day ago   (152+ words) A local resident called for using green porch lights to show opposition to data centers during the Clinton City Council's Tuesday meeting. “Let’s light up our town in waves of green,” Jim Voss, of Clinton, said. â…...

3+ week, 5+ day ago   (270+ words) DES MOINES, Iowa — Concerns over privacy, oversight and surveillance involving automated license plate readers, also known as ALPR's, are increasingly part of the political debate in Iowa, with the issue now reaching the governor’s race. Some Iowa cities have canceled…...